Frederick leeds



(No Modem' 2 sheets-'sheet 1.

vRLEEDS. MUSIG LEAF TURNER.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets Sheet 2 F LEEDS MUSIC LEAP TURNER.

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ANDREW l.GIAHQMWNUTO-UTHQWASHINGTDN. 0.0

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK LEEDS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MUSIC-LEAF TURNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,374, dated November 5, 1895. Application led February 26, 1895. Serial No. 539,753. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK LEEDS, of New York city, Ain the county and State' of New York, have invented a new and Improved Music-Leaf Turner, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

My invention relates to music-leaf turners, and it has for its obj ect to provide a machine capable of use upon a piano, organ, or similar musical instrument without in the least marring the instrument, and which may likewise be applied to any form of music-stand.

Another object of the invention is to construct the machine in a simple, durable, and economic manner, and to provide an expeditious and convenient means for placing sheetmusic or bound Inusic in position upon the machine.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar iigures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the complete music-leaf turner. Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the upper portion of the music-clamping arm, together with its catch. Fig. 4 is a section through one of the leaf-carrying arms, the section being taken substantially on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the body portion of the machine, a portion of the top being in vertical section, and showing in front elevation a portion of the music-rest and music-clamping arm. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a vertical section through the body portion of the machine, illustrating the mechanism in a different position from that illustrated in Fig. 5; and Fig. S is a view similar to Fig. 7, illustrating the mechanism in still another position, that which it assumes when the locking device is to be brought into action for the leaf-carrying arms.

In carrying out the invention the body VA of the machine is substantially of box-like construction and of much greater length thanr width and depth. The construction of the body may, however, be varied as fancy may dictate, and in the front of the body a longitudinal opening 10 is produced, communicating directly with the interior, and at each end of this opening a recess 11 is made in the front edge of the top bar of said body. The body of the machine is adapted to rest upon the ordinary music-supporting rail of a piano,

organ, or music-stand, and in order that it shall not slip and so mar the instrument upon-which 'it is placed, the bottom of the body is provided with a covering 12 of the rubber, or equivalent material, and pads 13 of the same material are secured upon the back of the body at suitable intervals apart, or the entire back may be covered as well as the bottom.

A rack B, of any desired construction and material, is secured upon the upper portion of the body A, and upon the front face of the rack at the center a vertical strip 14 is preferably secured, constructed of wood or other material capable of being penetrated by a pointed instrument. Immediately in front of the strip 14 a music clamping or supporting arm 15 is located, the lower end of this arm being hinged or pivotally connected with the upper end of a post 16, the said post being located at the central portion of the bodychamber, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7 and this music-supporting arm 15 is iitted at intervals in its length with pins 17 or their equivalents, extending rearwardly and adapted to engage with the fold-edge of sheet-inusic or the central portion of a book of bound music. rlhe music-supporting arm 15 extends preferably to the top of the rack, at which point, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, a latch 18 is located, engaging with the upper end of the aforesaid arm. Preferably this latch is made as shown in the drawings, in which it is of substantially L shape and of spring material, its horizontal arm being made to extend forwardly from the rack, and the said member or arm is provided with an opening to receive the upper end of the music-supporting arm, which is ordinarily reduced in diameter.

Any desired number of sheet-turning arms C may be used, and these arms are preferably constructed, as shown in the drawings, each comprising-a straight body-bar 19, a vertical IOO Io others.

2 5 a spring.

55 will be direct.

upwardly-extending section or member 20, located at or near one end of the body-bar, and an angular carrying member 21, preferably made somewhat L-shaped and connected with 5 the vertical member 20.

One end of the body member of each leaf carrying arm is pivoted upon the post 16 within the body-chamber, and the body member of the uppermost arm is shorter than the In fact, the body members of the arms are graduated in length, the uppermost one being the shortest and the lowermost one the longest, and the body member of each leaf-carrying arm is of such length that the r 5 vertical members 20 carried thereby will extend upward in the body-recesses 11, and by graduating the body members of the arms the carrying members will be arranged one over the other, the vertical members 2O being zo one alongside of the other, occupying sub` stantially parallel positions.

Between the body members of the various arms washers 22 are interposed, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7, and each arm is controlled by These springs may be spiral springs, as shown at 23 in Figs. 5 and 6, or they may be made of rubber or of other elastic material, as shown at 24 in Fig. 7. When the spiral form of spring is used, the springs 3o are attached at one end to a stud 25, located in the back portion of the body-chamber and at the right-hand side of the post 16, being likewise back of the post, and each spiral spring will have attached to it a cord 26,

3 5 and these cords are passed around the pivot ends of the arms to which the springs belong and are secured to the body bars or members of the said arms at a point between their centers and pivot ends. The

4o action of these springs will therefore be to throw the leaf-carrying arms from right to left. Consequently when the leaf-carrying arms are at the right-hand side of the body of the machine provision must be made for holding them at that point, since the moment they are released the springs 23 will act to carry the arms over to the left. lVhen an elastic spring 24 is employed, it is secured to the post 27, located within the body-cham- 5o ber, but at the left of the pivot-post 16, and

the said elastic spring will be secured to the arm to which it belongs at the body-bar and at substantially the same point as the spiral spring 23, but the action of the elastic spring A keeper 28 is held to slide in the body-chamber at its upper right-hand portion, and the said sliding keeper is provided with suitable guides or support-s 29, and the keeper is usually made to extend out 6o through an opening 30 made in the righthand end of the body. The sliding keeper has a fork 31 attached to what may be termed its forward edge, and this fork extends horizontally from the body of the keeper at a right angle thereto and is then carried parallel with the keeper in direction ofthe pivotpost 16, as is best shown in Fig. 6; and when the keeper is in a position to lock the leafn carrying arms at the right-hand side of the machine, as shown in Fig. 6, its forked member will be within the right-hand recess 11. The sliding keeper is provided with ratchetteeth 32 upon its under face, extending longitudinally thereon, and the teeth are inclined downwardly and inwardly and serve to limit the outward movement of the keeper, its inward movement being limited by the stop 323.

A spring 34, of any desired character, is attached to the inner end of the sliding keeper and to the body of the machine, a block 35 being shown in the drawings as receivin g the spring, and the said block is attached to the rear wall of the body. The tendency of this spring is to draw the keeper inward and carry its forked member in a position to receive the leaf-carrying arms.

A lever 36 is fulcrumed, preferably, upon the bottom of the body-chamber near the right-hand end, and this lever extends outward through the opening 30 in the righthand end of the said body, terminating at its outer extremity in a handle 36, and the inner end of the lever has a shoe Sb formed thereon, the shoe being held in engagement with the ratchet-teeth of the keeper-slide by a spring 37. Thus the shoe of the lever acts as a detent, and while it will permit the keeper to be moved in an outwardly direc` tion it will prevent it from moving inwardly.

The outward movement of the sliding keeper is accomplished through the medium of a dog 38, the outer end of which is in constant engagement with the teeth of the keeper, being held in such contact by a spring 39, as shown in Figs. 5 and 7. The dog near its inner end is made to pass between guide posts or studs 40, and the outward and inward thrust or movement of the dog is limited by stops 41 and 42, formed preferably upon the side faces of the dog, one in front of the other at the rear of the guide-posts. The inner end of the dog is usually curved in an upwardly direction, and is pivotally attached to a crankarm 43, said crank-arm being formed upon the end of a key-shaft 44, which shaft is j ournaled in the body and extends forwardly and outwardly therefrom, its outer end being curved downward to form a key 45, which is struck by the hand of the operator when a sheet of music is to be turned.

The carrying member 21 of each leaf-turning arm is provided at or near its upper end with a pin 21, which is bent at an angle to the said member, the pin being adapted to enter the sheet of music to be turned, so as to prevent the leaves following each other from suction when one of them is turned.

In operation, the music-clamping arm 15 is disengaged from its latch and is dropped downward, and the bound music or sheet-music is placed in position on the rack, and the said music-clamping arm is then carried up- Ward and again connected with its latch, being located at the center of the book 'of music.

IOO

IIO

If sheet-music is placed upon the rack, its bound edge or fold-edge is placed in position to be engaged by the music-clamping arm, and the pins 17 of the said arm will pass through the sheets of music and into the strip 14 on the rack, thus securely holding the sheets in position. All of the music-turning arms C, or as `many of them as may be required are then carried over one after the other to the righthand side of the body of the machine, and brought in engagement with the leaves to be turned, the pins in the said arms being passed into the sheets. The music-turning arms are held in the right-hand recess ll of the body, and at this time the sliding keeper will be at its farthest outward throw, as shown in Fig. 8, and as is likewise shown in the said figure. By drawing up the lever 3G, the shoe 36b carried by the lever will be taken out of engagement with the ratchet-teeth of the keeper. As the inner end of the lever 36 moves downward it engages with the dog 38 and depresses said dog, disengaging it from the keeper, and the spring 34 will act to throw the keeper to its inner position, as shown in Fig. 5, and all of the music-turning arms at the right and in the recess ll will then be received within the fork extension 3l of the said sliding keeper, the arms occupying the position shown in Fig. 6. IV hen the sheet of music is to be turned, the key45 of the key-shaft is rocked in direction of the center of the machine, whereupon the crank-arm 43 will be rocked in an outwardly direction and the dog 3S will move the keeper the distance of one tooth, being drawn back to its original position when the key 45 is relieved through the medium of a spring 46. As the keeper moves forward the distance of one tooth, the upper arm, or arm with its carrying member nearest the inner edge of the recesses ll, will have been released from the fork 3l of the keeper, and its spring 23 or 24, whicheverl is employed, will immediately act to draw the arm over to the left of the machine, carrying the leaf of music to which it is attached with it. At the next movement of the keyshaft 44 another arm will be released, and this operation is repeated until all of the leaves have been turned, whereupon all of the sheet-turning arms may be restored to a position at the right of the machine and locked in position by again releasing the keeper from the lock-lever 36.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a music leaf turner, the combination with a series of pivoted arms, and a keeper having a recess adapted to receive the arms and provided with a toothed surface, of a key located at the front of the body of the device and having a rocking movement, a spring controlled dog operated from the key and normally engaging with the teeth of the keeper, and a spring controlled lever extending from the body of the device and having a detent at its inner end engaging with the teeth of the keeper, the said lever being adapted when out of engagement with the keeper to also carry the dog out of engagement, as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a music leaf turner, the combination with a series of pivoted arms, a forked keeper having teeth upon its under face, and a spring normally drawing said keeper in direction of the arms, of a spring pressed lever projecting from one end of the body of the device and provided at the other end with a shoe normally held in engagement with the teeth of the keeper and serving as a detent, a shaft having a rocking movement and provided with a crank arm at its inner end, the said shaft extending forwardly and outwardly from the body of the device and curved downward at its outer end to form a key, a spring pressed dog engaging at one end with the teeth of the keeper and pivotally attached at its other end to the crank arm on the said shaft, the spring pressed lever when disengaged from the keeper being adapted to depress the said dog and disengage it from the keeper, substantially as shown and described.

FREDERICK LEEDS.

Witnesses:

J. FRED AOKER, JNO. M. RITTER. 

